Archaeologists discover Thracian golden jewelry

Archaeologist shows an artifact, part of 2,400-year old golden hoard found in an ancient Thracian tomb in northern Bulgarian village of Sveshtari, some 400 kilometer (250 miles) northeast of Sofia, on Thursday, Nov 8, 2012. Prof. Diana Gergova , archeologist and team leader said that among the artifacts, dated back to the end of the fourth or the beginning of the third century B.C., were gold jewelry and applications for horse trappings, a tiara with reliefs of lions and fantasy animals, as well as four bracelets and a ring. (AP Photo/ImpactPressGroup)

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Archaeologists say they have unearthed an almost 2,400-year-old golden hoard in an ancient Thracian tomb in northern Bulgaria.

The unique treasure was found on Thursday near the village of Sveshtari, some 400 kilometers (250 miles) northeast of Sofia, team leader Diana Gergova said.

She said that among the artifacts, dating back to the end of the fourth or the beginning of the third century B.C., were gold jewelry and applications for horse trappings, a tiara with reliefs of lions and fantasy animals, as well as four bracelets and a ring.

The Thracians lived in what is now Bulgaria, and parts of modern Greece, Romania, Macedonia, and Turkey between 4,000 B.C. and the 7th century A.D., when they were assimilated by the invading Slavs.